The Muppet Central Freelance Writers Guild Project

Hey Ryan my parents computer is still on the fritz. So till i get a new Video Card and all i can't send you any pics for the acticals. But i'm working on it as soon as i can. I have to somewhere tomorrow and don't know when i'll get back but i'll let you know when i get this fixed and ready to send you some. Talk to you later. Peace out!

Maybe it might be nice to do soem "collaborative" articles. Like maybe have us fans nominate some thngs for big list articles. I'm thinking stuff like "The Top 100 Muppets", "The Top 100 Henson Series Episodes", "The Top 100 Sesame Street Inserts", "The Top 100 Muppet Merchandise Items", stuff like that. People can be allowed to nominate up to a certain number of things (I'm thinking up to 20 would be most fair), maybe on the forums or just by e-mail.

It has been nearly a month since the first wave of articles were submitted (proofed and everything). Just a friendly reminder to the "powers that be" around here. MC would be a much more heavily trafficked site with a steady flow of fresh quality content written and proofed by these eager and talented members. There’s got to be some sort of expedient way to do this.

Prawnie .. i hope this all goes well for you. I'm sure with time it'll appear on the site so don't give up hope.

Maybe if there was a fan interaction section in the articles that had like a blog template that the mods could just paste text and stuff into that would make things quicker.

I really don't like SST instead of SS for Sesame Street. We've used SS for years - i know it has its connoations but i think people are grown up enough to know the difference. It will always be SS for me!

Well gang, since nothing seems to be happening with these articles anytime soon, what would you think about me starting a "sister site" of sorts. A blog where, with the writers' permission, I'd post all of the articles and link to them here on MC. That way, Phil doesn't have to worry about formatting, and we get the articles up in a timely manner. This will in no way compete with MC, I just figured this is a great way to get our work out there. I don't mean to seem impatient here, either, but I just think something needs to be done with all of the great work we've got collected.

I think we've relied on the forum for too much content these days. It's time for some action and movement around here on a regular basis. I hope something can be devised. I really do. However if someone makes a sister blog I'll support that once all has been exhausted here.

I'd like that idea, but Phil did say that they'd start appearing next week. So, I'd hold out until then.

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He actually said that they'd start appearing this past week...

RedPiggy said:

I just kinda figured with my submission I gave permission to be used however, so long as a whole bunch of words aren't put in my mouth, LOL.

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*sighs* *puts away dictionary on a plate*

frogboy4 said:

I think we've relied on the forum for too much content these days. It's time for some action and movement around here on a regular basis. I hope something can be devised. I really do. However if someone makes a sister blog I'll support that once all has been exhausted here.

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Jamie, do you have any ideas on how we could get this moving any faster at all? I know you've done a whole lot, I'm just desperate for something to get moving.

Jamie, do you have any ideas on how we could get this moving any faster at all? I know you've done a whole lot, I'm just desperate for something to get moving.

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Honestly, what Phillip needs is a webmonkey = some new trustworthy MC staffer that he can train and allow to upload directly to the main site under his watchful eye. I mean, we have the ideas, the writers, the graphics, the editors and members with web capabilities.

The bureaucracy is what shuts things down. I think we have enough bandwidth at MC to do many more things. I know Phillip is busy, but we're at the point of asking - what exactly does he want from this site? Is it only a forum now? Is it a place to purchase products through linkage? Or is it a place that he wants to live, grow and thrive?

There are eager, talented people. It is my belief that the Frog in Chief here needs to get a trusted Scooter for web management so he can make editorial decisions once the work is pretty much done. New content shouldn't take more than three days with our set up. And with an appointed web manager new content could be turned around within 24 hours.

That's the solution for something beyond this new batch of articles. We have come to the point where we all must ask - What is Muppet Central?

Rest assured there is both a short term and long-term plan for increasing content on the site with the ultimate goal of getting a lot of quality content on the web quickly and efficiently.

As has been mentioned, we will be looking for some key folks to join the team. Some of the people who have submitted content may want to be a part of that. More details will be announced in the future as all the specifics are ironed out.

Honestly, what Phillip needs is a webmonkey = some new trustworthy MC staffer that he can train and allow to upload directly to the main site under his watchful eye. I mean, we have the ideas, the writers, the graphics, the editors and members with web capabilities.

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Exactly! I've never understood why a web formatting "go-fer" of sorts has never been hired for the site. There are plenty of reliable forum members who would be more than willing to help out. That's the whole reason I'm pushing so hard for this writer's guild to work. I want to be a contributing part of this site, but there are just no opportunities for it whatsoever. I understand there are plenty of people who Phillip and the staff don't want working on the site... but there are also tons of people who are reliable enough to make this site a fully functioning, welcome place to be.

The bureaucracy is what shuts things down. I think we have enough bandwidth at MC to do many more things. I know Phillip is busy, but we're at the point of asking - what exactly does he want from this site? Is it only a forum now? Is it a place to purchase products through linkage? Or is it a place that he wants to live, grow and thrive?

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I've been asking that for two years, at least. There's so much opportunity for expansion, and when the forum members are asking to help contribute to the expansion... you'd think the staff would adhere to it. It seems, like you said, that it's fallen into a rut of being only a forum. Buying merch through links is a great way to fund the site, but it makes the forum look cluttered--WHY not have official MC merchandise to help fund? We've been clammoring for that for... ever.

That's the solution for something beyond this new batch of articles. We have come to the point where we all must ask - What is Muppet Central?

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Exactly. Is it a fan-friendly place to grow, contribute, and have fun? Or is it a place where only the higher-ups can make the homepage fun?

Rest assured there is both a short term and long-term plan for increasing content on the site with the ultimate goal of getting a lot of quality content on the web quickly and efficiently.

As has been mentioned, we will be looking for some key folks to join the team. Some of the people who have submitted content may want to be a part of that. More details will be announced in the future as all the specifics are ironed out.

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Thanks so much for the response Phillip.

This is the first time I've seen MC members this proactive and excited. I really would enjoy seeing it harnessed into the main pages. I hope it gets there.

I would welcome sharing the graphics load with other talented people on the forum. In time I would like to put a spit-shine on the menus too. That will take time, but it is always in the plans.

Thanks again for the response. It's very nice to hear that there's a plan in place.

Yes, Mr. Chapman, as a relative newcomer, thanks for the response. Even if my stuff is never put up, I welcome seeing new stuff show up. There are quite a few of us here who would like to contribute. The best part of the Muppets was the concept of pulling together to make something work. That is how it can be here as well.

Good to hear there are plans for expansion - i know things have kinda been planned in a way where lots of people are involved in certain projects and key people aren't always around - the episode guides specifically which are great and also the cards. Hopefully some of the keen people around here can help get that stuff finished at last.

I think adverts and store links are integrated quite well, it's very minimalist, yet its still on view and not just hidden away in some area of the site people would rarely visit. Hopefully new content for newly released stuff would help create excitement around the products/shows, writers could have maybe got access to the people involved in the Tonner Piggy line or the posers and it'd be good to see some concept stuff there.